Painting device



' June 9, 1959 PAINTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 23, 1957 INVENTOR. M4605 D/M ATTORNEYS United States Patent PAINTING DEVICE Jacob Dim and Max Kurnow, St. Paul, Minn. Application September 23, 1957, Serial No. 685,602

1 Claim. (Cl. 118-504) This invention relates to a device for use by painters, and more particularly to a device for preventing paint from being placed in unwanted locations.

The object of the invention is to provide a painting device which includes a member that is adapted to be manually held so that for example, when a person is painting a room that has carpets or rugs on the floor, the paint will be prevented from splattering or dripping onto the carpet and harming the same. Another object of the invention is to provide a painters helper which is in the nature of an inserter which can be used for properly positioning a sheet of material such as a sheet of paper or tape in the space below a baseboard molding so that paint will be prevented from dripping onto a carpet, rug, or other area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a painting device which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the painting device, constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view illustrating the painting device of the present invention being used for preventing paint from dripping onto a rug or carpet.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the device with a sheet of material thereon and with the sheet of material being shown in sections.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral indicates the painting device of the present invention which includes a body member that embodies a major flat portion 11 of rectangular formation. Arranged along one end of the flat portion 11 is a curved section or portion 12 which defines a handle. The other end of the device is shaped to define a longitudinally extending lip 13, and the lip 13 is offset with respect to the portion 11, so that the lip 13 is arranged angularly with respect to the portion 11.

Extending outwardly from the portion 11 and struck out therefrom or secured thereto is one or more tongues 14. The numeral 15 indicates a sheet of material which may be a sheet of paper, or a piece of tape or the like which extends over the major portion of the body member, and the upper edge of the sheet 15 engages beneath the tongues 14. The sheet 15 extends over the lip 13, and a portion of the sheet 15 projects beneath the lip 13 as shown in Figures 2 and 3 for example.

In Figure 2 the device is shown being used as for example when a room is being painted. In Figure 2 the numeral 16 indicates a portion of a wall of a room which has a baseboard 17 arranged contiguous thereto in the usual manner, and a molding 18 is secured adjacent the lower end of the baseboard 17, there being a space 19 below the molding 18. The numeral 20 indicates a floor which has a carpet or rug 21 thereon.

Patented June 9,1959

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a device which is especially suitable for use by painters and wherein the device will serve to prevent paint from splattering or dripping onto unwanted surfaces. In Figure 2 the device is shown being used, as for example, when a room is being painted, and for example, when the baseboard 17 and molding 18 are being painted or stained, the paint would have a tendency to drip onto the rug 20 and consequently harm such rug. By means of the present invention, the baseboard 17, molding 18, and other parts of the room can be painted without any of the paint dripping onto the rug 21. When the device is being used, a sheet of material such as the material 15 is adapted to be arranged over the portion 11 and over the lip 13, and the sheet of material 15 is received under the tongues 14 so as to properly hold the sheet of material in place. Then, the outer sharp edge of the lip 13 can be readily inserted into the space 19 beneath the molding 18 so that the material 15 which covers the lip 13 will also be inserted into the space 19. Then, any paint which accidentally drips from the baseboard 17 or molding 18, will be caught by the sheet of material 15 so that such paint will be prevented from dripping onto the mg 21 and ruining or harming the same. The sheet of material 15 may be discarded after it has been used, or in certain instances the material 15 can be used repeatedly. At any rate, the device 10 can be used over and over again. The curved portion 12 constitutes a handgrip which facilitates the handling or moving of the device 10 from place to place as desired. If desired, the sheet of material 15 may be in the nature of an elongated strip so that such a long strip can be readily inserted into the space 19 as shown in Figure 2 and wherein said strip or sheet 15 can be left in place until the paint dries so that all of the paint which drips from the molding or baseboard or wall will be received or caught on the sheet 15 so that the paint will be prevented from running or dripping onto unwanted surfaces such as the rug or carpet.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided a device which will facilitate the painting of various surfaces since the user Will be able to paint without being con cerned about the paint dripping on unwanted areas such as rugs or the like. The device can be used when various surfaces are being cleaned as well as being painted, so that cleaning fluid can be kept from running onto a particular location or area. The number of tongues 14 can be varied as desired, and the device constitutes an inserter whereby material such as the material 15 can be inserted into a space such as the space 19. The handle 12 may have different shapes or sizes. The lip 13 is shaped or arranged at approximately an angle of 45 with respect to the portion 11. The material 15 may be of different thicknesses and if necessary the material 15 may be arranged in different positions with respect to the device 10. By arranging the material 15 as shown in Figure 2 and then removing the device 10, the masking material 15 will be left in place so as to catch any paint drippings as the paint is drying. The device is preferably fabricated of a single piece of material.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided a device which will facilitate the painting, staining, or application of varnish to moldings, baseboards or other surfaces and wherein it will not be necessary to remove such moldings or baseboards and at the same time carpeting, flooring or the like will be protected. Furthermore, when rooms are being painted, the device will protect the edges of the room and guard the flooring or carpeting edges if a drop cloth should move. The protective material 15 may be paper, cardboard or any other suitable material which will fit under the molding 18 and the protective material 15 is adapted to be inserted in position as previously described and when the inserter 10 is withdrawn, the protective material 15 will remain under the molding so as to permit the painting to be more easily accomplished and whereby the carpet, floors and the like will be protected. As for specific examples from which the device can be made, it is desired to point out that the device can be made of metal, plastic or the like, provided such material is rigid enough to be inserted under moldings or other members. Other means of holding the material 15 in place could be used instead of the tongues 14.

The above description of the invention is for illustrative purposes only and it is understood that modifications may be made in the construction within the scope and spirit of the following claim.

We claim:

As a new article of manufacture, a painters helper fabricated of a single piece of material and shaped to include a body member, said body member embodying a major flat portion of rectangular formation, a curved portion extending longitudinally along one end of said body mem' her and defining a handle, a lip on the other end of said body member, said lip being offset from said major flap portion, and a plurality of tongues struck out from the major flat portion of said body member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 42,134 Weil Mar. 29, 1864 695,965 Taylor et al Mar. 25, 1902 1,292,071 Roe Jan. 21, 1919 1,434,903 Manning Nov. 7, 1922 1,491,693 Graham Apr. 22, 1924 2,098,005 Holt Nov. 2, 1937 2,576,262 Morehead Nov. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 43,695 Sweden Feb. 12, 1916 

